U.S. patent application number 15/187522 was filed with the patent office on 2016-12-29 for fiber-optic sensor and method.
The applicant listed for this patent is ABB Technology AG. Invention is credited to Klaus Bohnert, Andreas Frank, Philippe Gabus, Georg Muller.
Application Number | 20160377660 15/187522 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49883099 |
Filed Date | 2016-12-29 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20160377660 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Muller; Georg ; et
al. |
December 29, 2016 |
FIBER-OPTIC SENSOR AND METHOD
Abstract
A fiber optic sensor and related method are described, with the
sensor including a cross-coupling element in the optical path
between a polarizing element and a sensing element, but separated
from the sensing element itself; with the cross-coupling element
generating a defined cross-coupling between the two orthogonal
polarization states of the fundamental mode of a polarization
maintaining fiber guiding light from the light source to the
sensing element thus introducing a wavelength-dependent or
temperature-dependent sensor signal shift to balance
wavelength-dependent or temperature-dependent signal shifts due to
other elements of the sensor, particularly signal shifts due to the
wavelength dependence of the Faraday effect or the electro-optic
effect constant.
Inventors: |
Muller; Georg; (Glattpark,
CH) ; Bohnert; Klaus; (Oberrohrdorf, CH) ;
Frank; Andreas; (Zurich, CH) ; Gabus; Philippe;
(Nyon, CH) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
ABB Technology AG |
Zurich |
|
CH |
|
|
Family ID: |
49883099 |
Appl. No.: |
15/187522 |
Filed: |
June 20, 2016 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
PCT/EP2014/078782 |
Dec 19, 2014 |
|
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15187522 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
324/96 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01R 15/247 20130101;
G01R 15/241 20130101; G01R 19/32 20130101; G01R 15/246
20130101 |
International
Class: |
G01R 15/24 20060101
G01R015/24; G01R 19/32 20060101 G01R019/32 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 20, 2013 |
EP |
PCT/EP2013/077707 |
Claims
1-37. (canceled)
38. A fiber optic sensor comprising: a light source, a polarizing
element, a detector, a polarization maintaining (PM) fiber, and a
sensing element, wherein the sensor further comprises a
cross-coupling element in an optical path between the polarizing
element and the sensing element, with the cross-coupling element
generating a defined cross-coupling between the two orthogonal
polarizations of the fundamental mode in the PM fiber, and wherein
the cross-coupling element and the sensing element are separated
along the optical path, and further wherein the cross-coupling
element is designed such that shifts in the sensor signal
introduced by the wavelength dependence of the cross-coupling
balance signal shifts introduced by the wavelength dependence of
further sensor elements.
39. The sensor of claim 38, wherein the cross-coupling element and
the sensing element are separated by at least one element selected
from the group consisting of: at least a section of PM fiber, a
retarder, a Faraday rotator, and combinations thereof.
40. The sensor of claim 38, wherein the cross-coupling element is a
separate element present in addition to the PM fiber.
41. The sensor of claim 38, wherein the sending element is
sensitive to an external field selected from an electrical field, a
magnetic field or a strain field.
42. The sensor of claim 38, wherein the cross-coupling element is
designed such that shifts in the sensor signal introduced by the
wavelength dependence of the cross-coupling balance signal shifts
introduced by the wavelength dependence of the Faraday effect or
the electro-optic effect.
43. The sensor of claim 38, wherein the cross-coupling element
comprises an optical retarder or a Faraday rotator; or wherein the
cross-coupling element comprises a retarder detuned from exact
half-wave retardance or exact multiple-order half-wave retardance
by a non-zero amount or phase .beta.(.lamda..sub.o); or wherein the
cross-coupling element is a fiber retarder comprising a
birefringent fiber, an elliptical core fiber or a microstructured
birefringent fiber.
44. The sensor of claim 38, wherein one of: a) the principal
optical axes of the PM fiber and the principal optical axes of the
cross-coupling element are rotated, against each other by an
orientation angle .zeta. in the range of
.+-.(45.degree..+-.22.5.degree.; and b) wherein the cross-coupling
element is a halfwave retarder with principal axes forming an
orientation angle .zeta. in the range of .+-.15.degree. or in a
range of 90.degree..+-.15.degree. with respect to the principal
axes of the PM fiber, and with a half wave retardance
.delta.(T.sub.0,.lamda..sub.0) equal to an integer multiple of
180.degree. within .+-.20.degree. to achieve a sensor signal
insensitive to temperature up to second order within a given
temperature range.
45. The sensor of claim 38, comprising a retarder adjusted to
compensate for shifts in the sensor signal caused by temperature
changes of the cross-coupling element or of other optical elements
in the sensor.
46. The sensor of claim 38, comprising a retarder adjusted to
compensate for linearly temperature-dependent shifts in the sensor
signal caused by temperature changes of any of the elements
selected from the group consisting of: the cross-coupling element,
the sensing element, and further optical elements in the
sensor.
47. The sensor of claim 38, wherein a quadratically
temperature-dependent contribution from the cross-coupling element
to the sensor signal counteracts a quadratically
temperature-dependent contribution from other elements, to the
sensor signal.
48. The sensor of claim 38, wherein one of: a) the cross-coupling
element is temperature stabilized; and b) the cross-coupling
element is located within a common housing with an opto-electronic
module comprising at least an active or passive element for
modulating or biasing the differential phase of light waves.
49. The sensor of claim 38, wherein one of: a) the sensing element
comprises one of a sensing fiber to be looped around a conductor
and to be in operation exposed to a magnetic field of a current I
in the conductor, and b) an electro-optical crystal or an
electro-optic fiber or a fiber connected to piezoelectric
material.
50. The sensor of claim 38, wherein one: of a) the sensing element
is terminated with a reflective element, and b) the light source is
not in thermal contact with active heating or cooling elements.
51. The sensor of claim 38, wherein the optical path with the
cross-coupling element comprises one of: a) an optical phase
modulator between the polarizing element and the sensing element,
and b) an optical beam splitter between the polarizing element and
the sensing element.
52. A method of measuring a current, a magnetic field, a voltage,
an electrical field, or a strain field, the method comprising:
providing a fiber optic sensor including a light source, a
polarizing element, a light detector, a polarization maintaining
(PM) fiber, and a sensing element, wherein the sensor further
comprises a cross-coupling element in an optical path between the
polarizing element and the sensing element, generating polarized
light using the light source with the polarizing element, passing
the light through the polarization maintaining (PM) fiber into the
sensing element and from the sensing element back to the light
detector to determine a signal indicative of a phase shift in the
light, and characterized by using the cross-coupling element
located in the optical path between the polarizing element and the
sensing element to balance signal shifts introduced by the
wavelength dependence due to other sensor elements by shifts in the
sensor signal introduced by the wavelength dependence of the
cross-coupling element or to balance signal shifts introduced by a
quadratic temperature dependence due to other sensor elements by
such shifts in the sensor signal that are introduced by a quadratic
temperature dependence of the cross-coupling element.
53. The method of claim 52, further comprising tuning the
cross-coupling between polarization states of the fundamental mode
of the PM fiber by introducing in the cross-coupling element a
phase shift of m180.degree.+.beta.(.lamda..sub.0) between the
polarization states, wherein m is an integer including zero and
.beta.(.lamda..sub.0) is not zero and is selected such that said
cross-coupling balances a wavelength-dependent shift in a measured
signal due to other sensor elements.
54. The method of claim 52, further comprising reducing the
temperature dependence of the cross-coupling element by providing a
thermally stable environment or by using an athermal cross-coupling
element; or wherein the cross-coupling element is a half wave
retarder with principal optical axes forming an orientation angle
.zeta. in the range of .+-.15.degree. or in a range of
90.degree..+-.15.degree. with respect to the principal optical axes
of the PM fiber, and with a half wave retardance
.delta.(T.sub.0,.lamda..sub.0) equal to an integer multiple of
180.degree. within .+-.20.degree. to achieve a sensor signal
insensitive to temperature up to second order within a given
temperature range.
55. The method of claim 52, further comprising using a retarder
adjusted to compensate for shifts in the sensor signal induced by
temperature changes of the cross-coupling element or of other
optical elements in the sensor.
56. The method of claim 52, further comprising using a retarder
adjusted to compensate for linearly temperature-dependent shifts in
the sensor signal induced by temperature changes of any of the
elements selected from the group consisting of: the cross-coupling
element, the sensing element, further optical elements in the
sensor.
57. The method of claim 52, further comprising compensating, by a
quadratically temperature-dependent shift in the sensor signal from
the cross-coupling element, a quadratically temperature-dependent
shift in the sensor signal from other elements.
58. The method of claim 52, wherein the shifts introduced by the
wavelength dependence of further sensor parameters include the
shifts introduced by wavelength dependence of any or all of: the
Verdet constant, of retarders or Faraday rotators in the optical
path, or of the sensing element.
59. The method of claim 52, further comprising using as the sensing
element one of a sensing fiber to be looped around a conductor and
in operation being exposed to a magnetic field of a current I in
the conductor to measure a current or magnetic field or an
electro-optical crystal or an electro-optic fiber or a fiber
connected to piezo-electric material to measure a voltage or
electric field.
60. A fiber-optic sensor, comprising: a light source, a polarizing
element, a least two light detectors, a polarization maintaining
(PM) fiber, at least three, optical transmission channels and a
sensing element; wherein the sensor further comprises a
cross-coupling element in an optical path between the polarizing
element and the sensing element, with the cross-coupling element
generating a defined cross-coupling between the two orthogonal
polarizations of the fundamental mode in the PM fiber, and wherein
the cross-coupling element and the sensing element are separated
along the optical path, and further wherein the cross-coupling
element is designed such that a shifts in the sensor signal
introduced by the wavelength dependence of the cross-coupling
balance signal shifts introduced by the wavelength dependence of
further sensor elements; wherein one channel providing a forward
channel for the light to the sensing element and two channels
providing return detector channels for the light to the detectors,
and an optical polarization splitter module for introducing a
static bias optical phase shift between two different sets of light
waves, having different velocities within said sensing element in
the presence of a non-vanishing measurand field and for converting
a total optical phase shift including the static bias optical phase
shift and an optical phase shift induced by the measurand field
into optical power changes of opposite signs (anti-phase) in the at
least two detector channels, and PM fiber being connected directly
or indirectly via at least one retarder or Faraday rotator element
to the sensing element, wherein the measurand field is a voltage or
electric field and the sensing element is responsive to the voltage
or electric field and that the sensor is a medium or high-voltage
sensor.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to a fiber optical sensor such as a
fiber-optic current sensor (FOCS) or magnetic field sensor that
includes a sensing fiber to be exposed to a magnetic field, e.g. of
a current to be measured, or such as a fiber-optic voltage sensor,
both typically used in high voltage or high current
applications.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Fiber-optic current sensors rely on the magneto-optic
Faraday effect in an optical fiber that is coiled around the
current conductor. The current-induced magnetic field generates a
circular birefringence in the optical fiber that is proportional to
the applied magnetic field. A preferred arrangement employs a
reflector at the sensing fiber's far end so that the light coupled
into the fiber performs a round trip in the fiber coil. Commonly,
left and right circularly polarized light waves, which are
generated from two orthogonal linearly polarized light waves by a
fiber-optic phase retarder spliced to the sensing fiber and acting
as quarter-wave retarder (QWR), are injected into the sensing fiber
as described in the references [1-4]. After the round trip through
the fiber coil the two circular waves have accumulated a phase
delay proportional to the applied current as a result of the
circular birefringence in the fiber. This phase delay is
proportional to the number of fiber windings around the current
conductor, the applied electrical current, and the Verdet constant
V(T, .lamda.) of the fiber. The Verdet constant is thereby
material-, temperature-, and wavelength-dependent.
[0003] As an alternative, the sensor may be designed as a
Sagnac-type interferometer with quarter-wave retarders (QWRs) at
both sensing fiber ends and light waves of the same sense of
circular polarization that are counter-propagating in the sensing
fiber.
[0004] In references [3, 5, 6] methods are disclosed where the
fiber retarder is employed to balance the temperature dependence of
the Verdet constant, which is (1/V) dV/dT=0.7.times.10-4.degree.
C..sup.-1 for fused silica fiber. For this purpose, the retardance
of the QWR is set to an appropriately chosen value that commonly
deviates from perfect quarter-wave retardance. The variation of the
retardance with temperature changes the sensor scale factor such
that it balances the variation of the Verdet constant with
temperature. A method how to manufacture such retarders is
disclosed in reference [7].
[0005] Typically, fiber-optic current sensors employ semiconductor
light sources such as superluminescent diodes (SLDs). If the source
is not temperature stabilized, its emission spectrum shifts to
smaller wavelengths at increasing ambient temperature. Typical SLD
wavelength shifts correspond to a few tenths of a nanometer per
.degree. C. depending on details of the SLD material system. The
Verdet constant for fused silica fiber roughly scales with
wavelength as V(.lamda.)=V(.lamda..sub.0)
(.lamda..sub.0/.lamda.).sup.2, as stated for example in references
[8, 9]. Here, .lamda..sub.0 is the initial wavelength (reference
wavelength). The relative scale factor variation at 1310 nm is thus
-0.15%/nm or -0.05%/.degree. C., if one assumes a wavelength shift
with temperature of 0.3 nm/.degree. C. Apart from the Verdet
constant, other sensor parameters may also change with source
wavelength, for example the retardance of the fiber retarder at the
beginning of the sensing fiber, and may thus influence the scale
factor. The source wavelength also varies with drive current or may
shift as a result of source aging.
[0006] To counter the shift in wavelength it is known to stabilize
the wavelength of light source by operating the source at constant
current and stabilizing the source temperature by means of a
thermoelectric cooler (TEC) or by monitoring the source temperature
and appropriately correcting the sensor signal. Wavelength shifts
due to source aging are not corrected when using these methods.
[0007] In the field of fiber-optic gyroscopes, several methods have
been reported to track wavelengths shifts in gyroscopes, including
the use of a tracking interferometer [10], wavelength division
multiplexers [11-13], or fiber gratings [12, 14].
[0008] Further known are voltage or electric field sensors based on
the Pockels effect or linear electro-optic effect or on the use of
an optical fiber coupled to a piezo-electric material. In these
sensors, birefringence induced by the electric field or by force or
anisotropic change in the refractive index of the material is used
in the fiber optic sensor to measure voltages, electric field
strength or force.
[0009] As discussed above, references [3, 5, 6] disclose how to
compensate a temperature dependence of a fiber-optic current
sensor. Hereby, generally, a first-order, i.e. linear,
temperature-dependent contribution that e.g. originates from the
temperature dependence of the Verdet constant
(dV/[VdT]=0.7.times.10.sup.-4.degree. C..sup.-1 in fused silica
fiber at 1310 nm) is counteracted by a temperature-dependent
behaviour of a fiber retarder at the entrance to the sensing fiber.
WO 2014/154299 further discloses how to compensate a temperature
dependent signal that originates from a combination of the
temperature dependence of the Verdet constant and the birefringence
of the sensing fiber. However, these methods generally do not
compensate a potential higher order, in particular second order,
i.e. parabolic or quadratic, temperature dependence or can even
introduce an additional higher order temperature dependence.
Depending on the detection method of the sensor (detection with
non-reciprocal phase modulation or detection with passive phase
bias), the curvature of the parabolic contribution can either be
positive or negative. A non-linear contribution can also originate
from polarization cross-coupling due to packaging-related fiber
stress at extreme temperatures or temperature-dependent shifts of
the optimum sensor working point, as e.g. shown in WO 2014/006121.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,696,858 discloses a fiber-optic sensor according to
the precharacterizing clause of the independent claims.
[0010] It is an object of the invention to provide a fiber optic
sensor, particularly a magnetic field sensor or current sensor that
includes a sensing fiber to be exposed to a magnetic field, where
the sensor signal is less sensitive to wavelength shifts of the
light used and/or to temperature shifts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] Hence, according to a first aspect of the invention, a fiber
optic sensor is provided including a light source, a polarizing
element, a detector, a polarization maintaining (PM) fiber, and a
sensing element, with the sensor further including a cross-coupling
element in the optical path between the polarizing element and the
sensing element but not directly connected to the sensing element,
with the cross-coupling element generating a defined cross-coupling
between the two orthogonal polarization states of the fundamental
mode of the PM fiber.
[0012] The sensor can be a magnetic field or current sensor, in
which case the sensing element is preferably a sensing fiber to be
looped around a conductor and in operation exposed to a magnetic
field of the current in the conductor. Alternatively, the sensor
can be an electric field or voltage sensor, in which case the
sensing element is preferably an electro-optical crystal or a fiber
force-coupled to a piezo-electric element. For force or strain
measurements the fiber can be directly coupled to the object
exerting the force or the strained object.
[0013] The polarizing element can be a light source inherently
generating light with the desired polarization or it can be a part
of the sensor separate from the light source such as a polarizing
fiber, a polarizing beam splitter, (fiber-coupled) bulk optic
polarizer, a polarizing waveguide, such as a lithium niobate
(LiNbO.sub.3) waveguide made by proton exchange, and combinations
thereof.
[0014] In general, the cross-coupling element can be introduced
into the optical path at any point in which it can provide the
cross-coupling effect between the two polarization states of the PM
fiber. However, it is preferred not to locate the element too
closely to the entry point of the light into the sensing fiber. In
particular, the cross-coupling is not directly attached to the
sensing element, but best is separated from it at least by a
section of PM fiber and/or by at least by a retarder and/or by a
Faraday rotator, i.e. is separated by at least one element selected
from the group consisting of: at least a section of PM fiber, a
retarder, a Faraday rotator, and combinations thereof.
[0015] It is preferred to introduce the cross-coupling element into
the optical circuit at a location closer to the proximate end of
the PM fiber than its distal end. If the sensor includes further
active or passive elements to modulate or bias the phases of the
light before it enters a detector, such as optical modulators or
passive phase retarders, it is particularly preferred to have the
cross-coupling element in proximity to these further active or
passive elements.
[0016] Most preferably, the cross-coupling element is integrated
between two sections of the PM fiber or, where present in the
sensor, directly attached to or integrated within an optical beam
splitter element located in the light path between the light source
and the PM fiber.
[0017] The cross-coupling element is a separate element present in
addition to the PM fiber, in particular in addition to a non-ideal
PM fiber having residual cross-coupling between orthogonal
polarizations. In other words, the cross-coupling element
introduces deliberate specific cross coupling between the
orthogonal light polarizations propagating into the PM fiber. Such
purposeful cross coupling can add to practically present
cross-coupling in the optical circuit that results from non-ideal
optical elements, such as PM fibers, polarizers, splices,
retarders, modulators, etc.
[0018] In embodiments, the cross-coupling element introduces a
wavelength dependent part in the sensor signal that can be tuned
such that shifts in the sensor signal, in particular in its scale
factor, introduced by the wavelength dependent cross-coupling
balance other changes in the sensor signal caused by shifts of the
center wavelength .lamda. of the light, in particular a change in
the Verdet constant of the sensing element.
[0019] The cross-coupling element can be implemented in form of a
non-exact half-wavelength retarder. The (non-exact) half-wavelength
retarder introduces a phase shift of m180.degree.+.beta.(.lamda.)
between the two polarization states of the PM fiber, wherein m is
an integer including zero and .beta.(.lamda.) is not zero and
selected such that a shift of the center wavelength .lamda. away
from its initial value .lamda..sub.0 does not affect the signal as
measured.
[0020] Often, it is particularly preferred to have further active
or passive elements, such as optical modulators or beam splitters,
and in some variants also the light source and or/the detectors,
together with the cross-coupling element at the same location. In
high voltage environment a location on ground potential is often
preferred. Thus, it is possible to house both the further active or
passive elements, such as optical modulators or beam splitters and
in some variants also the light source and or/the detectors, and
the cross-coupling element in a single housing, or at least sharing
the same electrical supply line, so as to facilitate having a
controlled temperature environment to reduce influence of
temperature on the cross-coupling element, even if the
cross-coupling element has its own temperature controlled housing
separated from the other active or passive elements.
[0021] Alternatively or in addition to such external temperature
stabilization, the coupling element can be stabilized inherently
against temperature fluctuations, e.g. by detuning of an additional
retarder in the optical path, particularly a retarder located at
the entry to the sensing element, or by using several parts in the
cross-coupling element with mutually counter-acting temperature
dependences.
[0022] In embodiments of the sensor or method, the cross-coupling
element is a half wave retarder with principal axes forming an
orientation angle .zeta. in a range of .+-.15.degree. or in a range
of 90.degree..+-.15.degree. with respect to the principal axes of
the PM fiber, and with a half wave retardance
.delta.(T.sub.0,.lamda..sub.0) equal to an integer multiple of
180.degree. within .+-.20.degree. to achieve a sensor signal
insensitive to temperature up to second order within a given
temperature range.
[0023] In embodiments of the sensor or method, a retarder is
adjusted to compensate for linearly temperature-dependent shifts in
the sensor signal caused by temperature changes of any of the
elements selected from the group consisting of: the cross-coupling
element, the sensing element, further optical elements in the
sensor; in particular wherein the retarder introduces a
quadratically temperature-dependent shift in the sensor signal.
[0024] In embodiments of the sensor or method, a quadratically
temperature-dependent contribution from the cross-coupling element
to the sensor signal counteracts a quadratically
temperature-dependent contribution from other elements, in
particular from the retarder, to the sensor signal.
[0025] Though other types of fiber-optic sensors using for example
a Sagnac-type configuration can be adapted to include elements of
the present invention in case of it being a current sensor, it is
preferred that such a current sensor is of the reflective type. The
sensing element or fiber in such a sensor is terminated with a
reflective element, such as a reflector or a Faraday rotator
mirror.
[0026] Due to the improved stabilization against shifts in the
nominal wavelength .lamda. of the novel sensor, the light source
used can be of a non-temperature-stabilized type. Such light
sources typically lack an active heating or cooling element in
close proximity of the light emitting element, i.e. integrated into
the so-called packaging of the light emitting element.
[0027] Sensors in accordance with the invention are of particular
use in the field of measurements in a high-voltage environment
(e.g. in the range of 72 kV to 800 kV) in power transmission
networks, where accurate measurement, long lifetimes and robustness
in widely varying environmental conditions are required.
[0028] Further aspects of the invention include a method of
measuring a current, a magnetic field, a voltage, an electrical
field, a force field or a strain field using a fiber-optic sensor
and introducing a wavelength dependent shift of the signal by
tuning a cross-coupling between the two polarization states of a PM
fiber with the cross-coupling element introduced into the optical
path between a polarizing element for the injected light and the
sensing element of the sensor or between the polarizing element and
any optical elements located at the entry point of the sensing
fiber and directly attached to it.
[0029] In the method: the amount of tuning is selected such that
wavelength-dependent shifts in the sensor signal introduced by the
cross-coupling balance other wavelength-dependent shifts in a
measured signal as caused by shifts of the centre wavelength of the
light. Such shifts can include wavelength dependent shifts in the
Verdet constant or in other optical elements, such as retarders and
the like, of the sensor; and/or in the method the amount of tuning
is selected such that temperature-dependent shifts in the sensor
signal introduced by the cross-coupling balance other
temperature-dependent shifts in a measured signal. Such shifts can
include or can be linearly and/or quadratically
temperature-dependent shifts from the quarterwave retarder or from
other optical elements (i.e. different from the cross-coupling
element) of the sensor.
[0030] In embodiments, the cross-coupling element located in the
optical path between the polarizing element and the sensing element
is used to balance signal shifts introduced by a quadratic
temperature dependence due to other sensor elements by such shifts
in the sensor signal that are introduced by a quadratic temperature
dependence of the cross-coupling element. In alternative or
additional embodiments, the cross-coupling element located in the
optical path between the polarizing element and the sensing element
is used to balance signal shifts introduced by a linear temperature
dependence due to other sensor elements by such shifts in the
sensor signal that are introduced by a linear temperature
dependence of the cross-coupling element.
[0031] In embodiments, the cross-coupling element for balancing
wavelength-dependent shifts and the cross-coupling element for
balancing temperature-dependent shifts can be the same or can be
different cross-coupling elements.
[0032] Even more preferably, the tuning of the cross-coupling
between the two polarization states of the PM fiber includes the
step of introducing a phase shift of
m180.degree.+.beta.(.lamda..sub.0) between the two polarization
states, wherein m is an integer including zero and
.beta.(.lamda..sub.0) is not zero and is selected to balance
wavelength-dependent shifts in a measured signal.
[0033] Another aspect of the invention is a fiber-optic sensor
voltage or electric field sensor with at least a light source and
at least two light detectors, at least three optical transmission
channels, with one channel providing a forward channel for the
light to a sensing element and two channels providing return
detector channels for the light to the detectors, and an integrated
optical polarization splitter module for introducing a static bias
optical phase shift between two different sets of light waves,
having different velocities within said sensing element in the
presence of a non-vanishing measurand field and for converting a
total optical phase shift including the static bias optical phase
shift and an optical phase shift induced by the measurand field
into optical power changes of opposite signs (anti-phase) in the at
least two detector channels, and a polarization maintaining (PM)
fiber with the PM fiber being connected directly or indirectly via
at least one retarder or Faraday rotator element to the sensing
element.
[0034] The two different sets of light waves can be for example
orthogonal linear polarization modes or left and right circular
polarization modes. Preferably, such a sensor includes a
cross-coupling element for wavelength stabilization as described
above.
[0035] For optical magnetic field sensors or current sensors
according to this invention, the sensing element can comprise
optical fibers or waveguides, including specialty low birefringent
fibers, flint glass fibers, or spun highly-birefringent fibers,
bulk magneto-optic materials, such as yttrium iron garnet crystals
or fused silica glass blocks, or optical fibers, waveguides, or
bulk optical materials attached to a magneto-strictive element
[31], or combinations thereof.
[0036] For voltage or electrical field measurements according to
this invention, the sensing element can comprise an electro-optical
crystal, a crystalline electro-optic fiber (see ref. [24]), a poled
fiber [25], or a fiber or bulk optic material attached to a
piezo-electric element [32]. For force or strain measurements
according to this invention, the sensing element can comprise an
optical fiber or a bulk optic material.
[0037] A further aspect of the disclosed device (as already
mentioned above for the method), that can be used as addition or
alternative to the previous aspects, is a compensation of a
quadratic temperature dependence and/or of a residual linear
temperature dependence in fiber-optic sensors, in particular
fiber-optic current sensors. Equally, this invention applies to
fiber-optic strain or voltage sensors. To this end, a
cross-coupling element is inserted into the optical circuit of a
fiber-optical sensor as described with respect to other aspects of
the disclosed invention: The cross-coupling element is placed
between a polarizing element and the sensing element, e.g. between
two sections of polarization maintaining fiber, but is not directly
coupled to the sensing element. The polarizing element can be
selected from the range of choices as described with respect to
other aspects of the disclosed invention. Equally, the cross
coupling element is preferably separated from the sensing element
by at least a section of PM fiber, a retarder (in particular a
fiber retarder), a Faraday rotator, or a combination of such
elements. To expose the introduced cross-coupling element to a
similar or the same temperature as the sensing element and an
optional fiber retarder attached to the sensing element, the
cross-coupling element is preferably in spatial proximity to the
sensing element and the optional fiber retarder. In embodiments,
the cross-coupling element, the sensing element and the fiber can
retarder share a common housing.
[0038] The cross-coupling element adds a temperature dependent
signal component due to temperature dependent cross-coupling
between the two orthogonal linearly polarized light states of the
polarization-maintaining fiber, whose temperature dependence
counteracts the residual combined temperature dependence of the
sensing element, an optional fiber retarder or Faraday rotator,
and, if applicable, further components in the optical path. Hereby,
preferably, in the case of fiber-optic current sensors, the
parameters of the fiber retarder are chosen such that the linear
terms in the temperature dependence of the sensing element and the
retarder cancel each other, e.g. in a range from -40.degree. C. to
85.degree. C., while a higher-order temperature dependence
remains.
[0039] However, in this further aspect of the invention, the
temperature dependent contribution of the cross-coupling element is
chosen to compensate the residual parabolic or quadratic
temperature dependence.
[0040] In other cases, the cross-coupling element can counteract a
combination of residual quadratic and linear temperature dependence
of the signal. In general, the temperature dependent variation of
the signal to-be-compensated can e.g. originate from the
temperature dependence of mechanical stress exerted on the sensing
element, of bend-induced birefringence in a sensing fiber, of the
magneto-optic or electro-optic effect of the sensing element, of
the piezo-electric effect of a piezo-electric material attached to
the sensing element, of the intrinsic birefringence in the sensing
element such as in a spun highly-birefringent optical fiber, of the
working point of the sensor, of a retarder or a Faraday rotator in
the optical path, or of combinations thereof.
[0041] The cross-coupling element can be implemented in form of an
exact or non-exact half-wave retarder, i.e. with a retardation
.delta.(T,.lamda.) with T=temperature and .lamda.=wavelength. In an
embodiment, the retardation is set to
.delta.(T.sub.0,.lamda..sub.0)=m180.degree., with m being an odd
integer number, T.sub.0 being a reference temperature, typically in
the middle of the operating temperature range, and .lamda..sub.0
being the mean operating wavelength. In this embodiment, the
principal axes of the retarder are oriented under 0.degree.+.zeta.
or 90.degree.+.zeta. with respect to the incoming light
polarizations, e.g. given by the principal axes of a polarization
maintaining fiber link into which the cross-coupling element 16 is
inserted. The orientation angle .zeta. and integer m are then
adjusted to compensate a quadratic temperature dependence,
introduced by other components of the optical circuit of the
fiber-optical current sensor. This adjustment of m and .zeta. is
chosen as a function of the variation of retardance
.delta.(T.sub.0,.lamda..sub.0) with temperature and of the amount
of quadratic temperature dependence to be compensated for.
[0042] Please note that in general throughout this application, the
half wave retardance
.delta.(T.sub.0,.lamda..sub.0)=m180.degree.+.beta. (m=0, 1, 2, 3, .
. . ) with .beta. being the deviation or detuning of the non-exact
half wave retardance from the exact half wave retardance of
multiple orders m of 180.degree..
[0043] In another aspect of the disclosed invention, two
cross-coupling elements can be included in the optical path of the
fiber-optic sensor (not shown). A first cross-coupling element can
be used for compensation of the wavelength dependence of the sensor
signal, while a second cross-coupling element can be introduced to
compensate a residual temperature dependence of the sensor signal,
in particular a quadratic temperature dependence. The first
cross-coupling element is preferably designed as disclosed in the
primary aspect of the invention, while the second cross-coupling
element is designed as described in the other inventive aspect of
quadratic temperature dependence compensation. In embodiments, the
first cross-coupling element resides in a common housing with the
opto-electronic module or with at least parts of the
opto-electronic module, while the second cross-coupling element
resides in a common housing with the sensing element.
[0044] The above and other aspects of the present invention
together with further advantageous embodiments and applications of
the invention are described in further details in the following
description and figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0045] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a fiber optic sensor head
connected to a PM fiber of a sensor in accordance with an example
of the invention;
[0046] FIG. 2A illustrates a cross-coupling by using a non-exact
half-wavelength fiber retarder in a PM fiber;
[0047] FIG. 2B illustrates the function of a cross-coupling
element;
[0048] FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate examples of the invention as used
in sensors of a reflective type with active phase modulation for
signal detection;
[0049] FIG. 4 is a numerical example of balancing signals shift due
to shifts in the center wavelength of light by means of a
polarization cross-coupling element;
[0050] FIG. 5 is an example of the invention as used in sensors of
a reflective type with passive optical elements for signal
detection;
[0051] FIG. 6 is another example of the invention as used in
sensors of a reflective type with passive optical elements for
signal detection and a Faraday rotator mirror as terminal of the
sensing element;
[0052] FIG. 7 shows an example of a temperature-insensitive
cross-coupling element;
[0053] FIG. 8 shows a cross-coupling element based on a Faraday
rotator;
[0054] FIGS. 9A and 9B illustrate a fiber-optic voltage sensor in
accordance with two examples of the invention having an active
phase modulation detection scheme and a detection scheme with
passive (static) phase bias, respectively;
[0055] FIG. 10 shows a typical normalized sensor signal versus
temperature of a state-of-the-art fiber-optic current sensor;
[0056] FIG. 11 shows a fiber retarder as an embodiment of the
cross-coupling element; and
[0057] FIG. 12 shows a calculated normalized sensor signal of a
fiber-optic current sensor versus the temperature of the
cross-coupling element (solid curve) and versus the common
temperature of the sensing element and a fiber retarder at the
entrance to the sensing fiber (dashed curve) as well as the
combined temperature dependence (dotted curve).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0058] In FIG. 1 there is shown a general example of the present
invention illustrating configurations of the sensor head 10-1 of a
reflective fiber-optic current sensor 10 in a schematic manner. In
this general example, a polarization maintaining (PM) fiber lead 11
transfers the light into and back from the sensor head which
includes a sensing element 12 being in this example a sensing fiber
12 wound in one or more (N) loops around a conductor 13. Depending
on the method of measuring the magneto-optic phase shift, either a
superposition of light in both of the two orthogonal polarization
states of the fundamental PM fiber mode or only light in one
polarization state is injected into the sensing fiber element
12.
[0059] Depending on the specific detection technique the linearly
polarized light waves may be converted to circular waves before
they enter the sensing fiber by using a retarder 14, which in the
present example is a fiber-optic QWR (quarter-wave retarder),
located at the transition from the PM fiber 11 to the sensing fiber
12. A reflector 15 terminates the sensing fiber 12 at one end. The
reflector 15 can for example be a standard mirror (e.g. a
reflective coating 15 on the fiber tip) or a Faraday rotator mirror
15'. In certain sensors with rotator mirrors, the retarder 14 is
omitted or implemented as a (detuned) half-wavelength retarder.
[0060] In case where the sensor is a voltage sensor 90, the sensor
head 10-1 as shown can be replaced by a different sensor head, in
which the sensing fiber is replaced as the sensing element 12 for
example by an electro-optic crystal to measure a voltage .DELTA.V
applied over the length of the crystal, as detailed in FIG. 9
below.
[0061] If a temperature compensation of the sensor 10 is desired,
the retarder 14 can be detuned by an angle .epsilon. to
(M180.degree.+90.degree.+.epsilon.) in case of a quarter-wave
retarder or (M180.degree.+.epsilon.) in case of a half-wave
retarder as described for example in the references [3, 5, 6].
[0062] Also shown in FIG. 1 is an element 16 located in the example
between two sections of the PM fiber 11. The element 16 is designed
to cause a defined amount of cross-coupling between the two
polarization states of the PM fiber 11.
[0063] In the context of the present invention the term
"cross-coupling" means that light which has propagated in one
polarization state of the fundamental mode, e.g. LP.sub.01(x),
before the cross-coupling element 16 is split onto both states,
LP.sub.01(x) and LP.sub.01(y).
[0064] It should be noted that this element 16 need not be located
between sections of the PM fiber 11 to achieve such a
cross-coupling, but instead can be located anywhere in the optical
path between an initial linear polarizer and the sensing element 12
(though not directly coupled to its proximate end), for example
between the linear polarizer and PM fiber 11, or between PM fiber
11 and retarder 14. In embodiments where a light source generates
directly light with the desired polarization, such as specifically
designed laser, such a light source is understood to include the
initial polarizer.
[0065] Details of an example of the cross-coupling element 16 and
its function are illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B. In FIG. 2A the
cross-coupling element 16 is shown as a non-achromatic fiber-optic
retarder integrated within the PM fiber 11. Below the illustration
of the fiber 11, there is shown a graph indicating the relative
orientation of fast and slow axes of the fiber retarder 16 with
respect to the principal axes of the PM fiber 11. The orientation
and in particular the length (i.e. the differential phase
retardance between the orthogonal polarization states) of the
retarder 16 is designed to cause a controlled amount of
polarization cross-coupling (or mode mixing) between the two
orthogonal polarization states of the fundamental mode of the PM
fiber 11, LP.sub.01(x) and LP.sub.01(y), as indicated in FIG. 2B
for sensors using both orthogonal polarization states (upper half
of FIG. 2B) or sensors using only one polarization state (lower
half of FIG. 2B).
[0066] The cross-coupling changes the scale factor (or sensitivity)
of the sensor 10 in a defined manner. Since the retardance of the
retarder 16 and thus the cross-coupling varies with wavelength, it
can be used to compensate for variations in the Verdet constant and
other sensor parameters which change when drifts in the wavelength
of the light occur. The phase retardance .delta. of the retarder 16
at the center wavelength is set in this example to
m180.degree.+.beta. (m=0, 1, 2, 3, . . . ), with m=0 being a
possible choice when .beta.>0.
[0067] It should be noted that if the retarder 16 were an exact
zero-order or multiple order half-wave retarder (i.e. .beta.=0)
there would be no additional cross coupling between the orthogonal
modes of the PM fiber lead. As the retardance achieved with the
cross-coupling element 16 varies with the actual wavelength in a
known manner, .beta. can be set to compensate for a change in the
sensor signal, in particular of its scale factor, due to the change
of the Verdet constant with wavelength. The method can also
compensate the wavelength dependence of other elements in the
optical path, in particular of the retarder 14 at the entrance to
the sensing fiber 12 as shown in FIG. 1 above.
[0068] The compensation of the wavelength dependence as described
above can be integrated in all fiber-optic current sensor
configurations, in which a PM fiber lead transfers the light to the
sensing fiber and/or from the sensing fiber. In the reflective
sensor configurations of FIG. 1 the cross-coupling occurs both
during the forward and return travel of the light.
[0069] In the following, there is shown in greater detail, how the
cross-coupling element 16 can be integrated into three distinct
sensor configurations: a fiber-optic current sensor with
non-reciprocal phase modulation for phase biasing (illustrated in
FIG. 3), a fiber-optic current sensor with a quarter-wave retarder
for passive phase biasing (FIG. 5), and a fiber-optic current
sensor with a Faraday rotation mirror for passive phase biasing
(FIG. 6).
[0070] These designs differ in how the magneto-optical
birefringence in the sensing fiber is detected and with the cross
coupling element 16 being adapted accordingly.
[0071] In a fiber-optic current sensor design with non-reciprocal
phase modulation, as shown in FIG. 3A, light is injected,
preferably from a low coherent light source 1 such as a
superluminescent diode, after passing through an optical fiber, a
fiber coupler 101 and an initial optical fiber polarizer 2, which
reduces the emitted light into a single linear polarized state,
injected at a 45.degree. fiber splice 3 into both orthogonal
polarization states of the PM fiber 11, which in turn are projected
onto circular or close to circular light states in the sensing
fiber 12 by a fiber-optic retarder 14. The two light states in the
sensing fiber 12 acquire a magneto-optic phase delay due to the
applied electrical current (Faraday effect). The phase delay is
detected by means of a closed-loop detection circuit that includes
an optical phase modulator 4 and a detector 5 linked to the optical
path by the fiber coupler 101. The optical phase modulator 4 and
the detector 5 are also electrically linked through a signal
processor 6 for the closed loop detection. Alternatively, an
open-loop detection circuit may be used.
[0072] It should be understood that in these as in the following
examples components cited can be replaced by components with
identical or similar functionality. For example, the light source 1
mentioned can be replaced by other types of light sources 1, such
as light emitting diodes (LEDs), edge-emitting LEDs,
vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs), doped-fiber light
sources, or laser diodes. Similarly, the modulator 4 of FIG. 3A may
be an integrated-optic birefringence modulator, such as a lithium
niobate modulator, or a piezoelectric modulator. The latter
modulates the differential phase of the orthogonal polarization
states by modulating the optical length of a section of PM fiber 11
that is attached to the modulator.
[0073] As described in the references cited, the quarter-wave
retarder 14 can be detuned from exact quarter-wave retardance by
.epsilon. to achieve an intrinsic temperature compensation of the
sensor (also a higher order retarder can be used, such that the
retardance .rho. of the quarter-wave retarder amounts in total to
.rho.=M180.degree.+90.degree.+.epsilon. where M=0, 1, 2, 3, . . .
), see for example references [3, 5, 6].
[0074] In the case of no birefringence in the sensing fiber 12
apart from the magneto-optic birefringence, the current signal at
small magneto-optic phase shifts of sensors according to FIGS. 3A,
3B is in good approximation proportional to
S.about.(-1).sup.MV(T,.lamda.)NI/cos .epsilon.(T,.lamda.) [1]
[0075] Here, N is the number of loops of the sensing fiber coil 12,
and I the current in the conductor 13. A change in sign indicates a
phase shift of 180.degree. between the current and the resulting
signal. The Verdet constant V generally varies linearly with
temperature T and is a function of wavelength .lamda.. M and
.epsilon.(T.sub.0, .lamda.) can be chosen so that the current
signal becomes independent of temperature, as done in the
references mentioned above. Here, T.sub.0 is a reference
temperature, e.g. room temperature.
[0076] In the prior art, the wavelength is commonly kept stable by
working with a temperature-stabilized light source 1. If the
wavelength shifts by .DELTA..lamda. (herein assuming
.DELTA..lamda./.lamda..sub.0<<1), the relative signal change
.DELTA.S/S.sub.0 (with S.sub.0 being a central or an undisturbed
signal) is given by
.DELTA.S/S.sub.0=(-2-tan
.epsilon.(T,.lamda..sub.0)[M180.degree.+90.degree.+.epsilon.(T,.lamda..su-
b.0)]).DELTA..lamda./.lamda..sub.0 [2]
wherein the first term, i.e. -2 .DELTA..lamda./.lamda..sub.0,
results from the wavelength dependence of the Verdet constant V,
and the second term results from the wavelength dependence of the
retarder 14 when assuming that the retardance of the retarders 14
varies inversely proportional to the wavelength and that the Verdet
constant of the sensing fiber 12 shows quadratic dispersion as
previously reported, see ref. [8]. In case of a different type of
dispersion, the principle of this calculation is not altered, but
the values given herein for .beta. have to be adapted.
[0077] Eq. [2] has been derived from a description of the wave
propagation in the optical circuit by means of the Jones matrix
formalism, which is shown in general form in reference [15]. As
noted, in the references cited above, M and
.epsilon.(.lamda..sub.0) are chosen so that the overall current
signal becomes nearly independent of temperature. For instance,
with a temperature dependence of the Verdet constant of
C.sub.Verdet=0.710.sup.-4.degree. C..sup.-1 in fused silica fiber
and assuming a temperature coefficient of the retarder of
C.sub.QW=-2.410.sup.-4.degree. C..sup.-1 a quarter-wave retarder
having M=0 and .epsilon.(.lamda..sub.0)=9.5.degree. results in an
essentially (linearly) temperature independent signal. This sensor
of prior art however still yields, according to eq. [2], a relative
(combined) wavelength dependence of .DELTA.S/S.sub.0=(-2-0.29)
.DELTA..lamda./.lamda..sub.0=-2.29
.DELTA..lamda./.lamda..sub.0.
[0078] This wavelength dependence can be balanced in accordance
with the example shown by using a retarder as cross-coupling
element 16 with retardance m180.degree.+.beta.(.lamda.) arranged in
the optical path of the emitted light after the polarizer 2 but
before the retarder 14. In the example, the cross-coupling retarder
16 is included in the opto-electronic module 10-2 which comprises
most components of the sensor 10 with the exception of the
components of the sensor head 10-1 and parts of the PM fiber 11.
The opto-electronic module 10-2 and the sensor head 10-1 are
optically connected through the PM fiber 11. The cross-coupling
element 16 can be maintained at constant temperature separately or
inside a housing of the opto-electronics module 10-2.
[0079] The wavelength-dependence-compensating retarder 16 is
essentially a zero or multiple order half-wave retarder (HWR) with
a phase deviation .beta.(.lamda.) from perfect half-wave
retardance. Using such a cross coupler 16 and assuming small
magneto-optic phase shifts NVI (NVI<<1), the signal S is
approximately proportional to
S.about.(-1).sup.M+mV(.lamda.)NI/[cos .epsilon.(.lamda.)cos
.beta.(.lamda.)] [3]
[0080] The relative change .DELTA.S.sub.HWR in sensor signal at a
wavelength change .DELTA..lamda. resulting from the extra retarder
16 can be written as
.DELTA.S.sub.HWR/S.sub.0=-tan
.beta.(.lamda..sub.0)[m180.degree.+.beta.(.lamda..sub.0)].DELTA..lamda./.-
lamda..sub.0 [4]
[0081] with .lamda..sub.0 being the nominal center wavelength of
the sensor 10 and in particular S.sub.0=S(.lamda..sub.0). The
integer m and the deviation or phase .beta.(.lamda..sub.0) from
perfect half-wave retardance can be adjusted so that the term
.DELTA.S.sub.HWR/S.sub.0 of eq. [4] balances the term
.DELTA.S/S.sub.0 of eq. [2], i.e. the current signal becomes
independent of wavelength.
[0082] For instance, m=2 and
.beta.(.lamda..sub.0).apprxeq.-21.degree. can be chosen to
effectively compensate the wavelength dependence of the Verdet
constant and of the quarter-wave retarder 14. In the above
derivation it is assumed that the temperature of the compensating
cross-coupling retarder 16 is kept constant or that its retardance
is essentially independent of temperature. As mentioned and
described below in more details, this can be for example achieved
by placing the cross-coupling element 16 in a constant temperature
environment.
[0083] In embodiments, already
.beta.(.lamda..sub.0).apprxeq.-20.degree. or
.beta.(.lamda..sub.0)>-20.degree. (i.e. .beta.(.lamda..sub.0)
being less negative than -20.degree.) can effect a partial (yet
useful) compensation of the wavelength dependence of the Verdet
constant and of the quarter-wave retarder 14.
[0084] In a variant of these examples as shown in FIG. 3B, the
phase modulator 4 of the type as shown (birefringence modulator)
may be replaced by a y-type integrated optic phase modulator 41
with PM fiber pig tails as often used in fiber-optic gyroscopes and
a polarization-maintaining fiber coupler 43 as described in more
detail in references [19, 20]. In this example, the modulator 41
also acts as initial polarizer. The two light waves with parallel
polarization directions emerging from the modulator are projected
onto the orthogonal linear polarization states of the pm fiber 11
by a 90.degree.-fiber splice 42 and by the polarization-maintaining
fiber coupler 43. The second arm of the modulator 41 includes an
optical delay element 44.
[0085] The half-wave retarder 16 is then preferably arranged in the
PM fiber link 11 between the fiber coupler 43 and the sensing fiber
coil 12. Alternatively, an appropriately adjusted half-wave
retarder can be placed into each of the two fiber arms between the
y-modulator 41 and the PM coupler 43.
[0086] In this example, the cross-coupling element 16 is shown in a
temperature-controlled housing 160 spatially separated from the
other components. This arrangement can be regarded as an
alternative to including the cross-coupling element 16 in the
opto-electronic module 10-2.
[0087] In FIG. 4 there is shown the variation of sensor signal S
vs. wavelength of a compensated sensor together with the individual
contributions from Verdet constant S(V(.lamda.)), the quarter wave
retarder S(.epsilon.(.lamda.)) and the compensating cross-coupling
retarder S(.beta.(.lamda.)). The signal variation without
compensation (combined contribution from Verdet constant and
quarter-wave retarder) corresponds to 3.5% for the wavelength span
(20 nm) in FIG. 4. The residual signal variation after compensation
is negligible.
[0088] In a fiber-optic current sensor design with splitter and
with passively generated phase bias as shown in FIG. 5, the same
design for the sensor head 10-1 is used as in the previous
embodiments (e.g. FIG. 1). Instead of closed-loop detection with an
optical phase modulator 4, 41 as in the previous example of FIG. 3,
a detection scheme with a passively generated phase bias is
employed in this example, as described in detail in reference [16].
In such an arrangement, the sensor 10 includes again a light source
1 which preferentially generates non-polarised light to enter an
optical path with an optical fiber, an initial linear polarizer 55a
(in 45.degree. orientation with respect to the axes of the PM fiber
11) attached via a spacer 53 made of glass to an integrated-optic
splitter 54. The light exits the integrated-optic splitter 54 via a
PM fiber 11 with a cross-coupling element 16. The light returning
from sensing fiber 12 is split and then passes a quarter-wave
retarder and appropriately oriented polarizers 55b, 55c. The
retarder 56 introduces a 90.degree.-phase-bias between the
returning light waves. The light is guided through two optical
fibers to the respective detectors 5-1, 5-2, which can be
photodiodes. The signals S.sub.1,2 at the two detectors 5-1 and 5-2
are given by
S.sub.1,2.about.1.+-.(-1).sup.M cos .epsilon. sin 4NVI [5]
[0089] Dividing the difference of the two signals by their sum
gives a signal that is independent of the light source power and is
proportional to
S.about.(-1).sup.MV(T,.lamda.)NI cos .epsilon.(T,.lamda.) [6]
[0090] Here, it is assumed that 4NVI<<1. The fiber
quarter-wave retarder 14 at the near end of the sensing fiber 12 is
again used to achieve a temperature independent current signal,
i.e. the retarder deviates by an appropriate amount .epsilon. from
perfect quarter-wave retardance, see also reference [16]. It should
be noted that the retarder 56 and spacer 53 can also be
interchanged such that the phase bias is introduced in front of the
sensor head 10-1.
[0091] As in the previously described embodiments, another fiber
retarder 16 is inserted as cross-coupling element 16 in the PM
fiber lead 11 of the sensing coil 12 to achieve a
wavelength-independent current signal. With the introduction of the
additional retarder 16 the current signal is approximately
proportional to (when again assuming that the sensing fiber is free
of any non-magneto-optic birefringence)
S.about.(-1).sup.M+mV(.lamda.)NI cos .epsilon.(.lamda.)cos
.beta.(.lamda.) [7]
[0092] Analogously to the previous case, .beta.(.lamda..sub.0) and
N can be chosen such that the individual contributions to the
overall wavelength dependence of the current signal compensate each
other. The retardance of the quarter-wave retarder can be set to
M=0 and .epsilon.(.lamda..sub.0)=-9.5.degree. to balance the
temperature dependence of the Verdet constant (assuming that the
sensing fiber is free of linear birefringence). The relative
wavelength dependence of the sensor signal amounts to
.DELTA.S/S.sub.0=.DELTA..lamda./.lamda..sub.0(-2+[M180.degree.+.epsilon.-
(.lamda..sub.0)] tan
.epsilon.(.lamda..sub.0)+[m180.degree.+.beta.(.lamda..sub.0)] tan
.beta.(.lamda..sub.0)) [8]
[0093] In the given example, the half-wave retarder 16 can be set
to N=2 and .beta.(.lamda..sub.0)=21.degree. to compensate the
variations of the sensor signal with wavelength due to the combined
contributions from the Verdet constant and the quarter-wave
retarder: .DELTA.S/S.sub.0=(-2-0.29)
.DELTA..lamda./.lamda..sub.0=-2.29 .DELTA..lamda./.lamda..sub.0.
Note that the absolute value of .beta.(.lamda..sub.0) is the same
as for the sensor designs with non-reciprocal phase modulation
(FIG. 3A, FIG. 3B) but the sign is opposite. With the values above,
the individual signal contributions are again as those shown in
FIG. 4.
[0094] In embodiments, already
.beta.(.lamda..sub.0).apprxeq.+20.degree. or
.beta.(.lamda..sub.0)<+20.degree. (i.e. .beta.(.lamda..sub.0)
being smaller than +20.degree.) can effect a partial (yet useful)
compensation of the wavelength dependence of the Verdet constant
and of the quarter-wave retarder 14.
[0095] In another embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 6 the sensor
coil 12 is terminated by a Faraday polarization rotator mirror 15'
for phase biasing (see also references [17, 18] for further
details). The Faraday rotator 15' biases the current induced
magneto-optical phase shift by 90.degree., i.e. this rotator 15'
corresponds to a single pass polarization rotation angle of
22.5.degree. (or equivalently a single pass differential phase
shift of 45.degree. for left and right circular light waves).
[0096] Hence, light from the light source 1 is guided through an
optical fiber into a combined polarizing splitter 24 and into the
PM fiber 11 with an integrated cross-coupling element 16. On the
return after being reflected and phase-shifted by the rotation
mirror 15', the signals at the two detectors 5-1, 5-2 are
equivalent to the signals in the previous configuration and are
given by:
S.sub.1,2.about.[1.+-.sin(4NVI+4.alpha.)]. [9]
[0097] The term .alpha.(T, .lamda.) is the deviation of the single
pass rotation angle of the Faraday rotator from 22.5.degree..
Dividing the difference of the two signals by their sum again gives
a signal that is independent of the light source power (with the
assumption 4NVI<<1):
S.about.V(T,.lamda.)NI cos 4.alpha.(T,.lamda.) [10]
[0098] The half- or quarter-wave retarder 14 in some sensor designs
between the PM fiber 11 and the sensing fiber 12 (see also FIG. 1)
is set to zero for the sake of simplicity (M=0 and .epsilon.=0). By
including an extra retarder as cross-coupling element 16 in the PM
fiber link 11 to achieve the disclosed controlled,
wavelength-dependent polarization cross-coupling, the current
signal is as well proportional to cos.sup.2.beta.(.lamda.). Proper
adjustment of N and .beta. enables compensation of the wavelength
dependence of the current signal, including a compensation of the
wavelength dependence of the Faraday rotator 15' and the sensing
fiber 12.
[0099] The compensation for wavelength dependency is not limited to
the wavelength-dependent contributions from the Verdet constant of
the sensing fiber 12 and contributions from the retarder 14. It can
also compensate other contributions, such as those of the embedded
linear birefringence in a spun, highly birefringent sensing fiber
12 or of the bend-induced linear birefringence in a sensing fiber
12 with low intrinsic birefringence. Hence, the value of .beta. has
to be appropriately adapted, if the cross-coupling element 16 is
also to compensate for those elements.
[0100] In the above variants it was assumed that the cross-coupling
element 16 is kept at constant temperature by a temperature
stabilization environment 160. Particularly, in the sensor
according to FIG. 3A or FIG. 3B, the extra retarder 16 is
preferably part of the opto-electronic module 10-2. At this
location, a stable temperature of the cross-coupling element 16 can
be achieved, for example by means of a thermoelectric cooler/heater
(not shown).
[0101] In addition or alternatively, the temperature of the
cross-coupling element 16 can be measured and the
temperature-dependence of the cross-coupling element 16 can be
corrected at a signal processing stage. Small or negligible
temperature dependence of the element 16 can also be achieved
through the use of a fiber with low temperature dependence of the
differential phase shift such as polarization-maintaining fibers
with birefringence determined by their geometrical structure, e.g.
elliptical core or micro-structured fibers. Such fibers are known
to show a relatively weak temperature dependence in comparison to
fibers with stress induced birefringence.
[0102] A compensation of the temperature-dependence of element 16
can also be achieved, if both the cross-coupling element 16 in the
PM fiber link and the retarder 14 at the beginning of sensing fiber
12 are subject to the same ambient temperature. In such a case the
additional temperature contribution stemming from the
cross-coupling element 16 can be balanced by an extra contribution
from the retarder element 14 to the overall temperature dependence
of the signal. Taking again a configuration as in FIG. 3 as an
example, the relative signal change due to a temperature change
.DELTA.T of the cross-coupling element 16 amounts to
.DELTA.S/S.sub.0=tan .beta.(T.sub.0,.lamda..sub.0)
[N180.degree.+.beta.(T.sub.0,.lamda..sub.0)] C.sub.HW .DELTA.T,
wherein the constant C.sub.HW describes the relative change of the
retardance with temperature. Both retarders 14, 16, i.e. m, M,
.epsilon., and .beta., can be adjusted so that the overall
temperature dependence as well as the overall wavelength dependence
vanishes. In more detail, the parameters have to be chosen so that
not only dS/d.lamda.=0 (or small) is fulfilled (as in the examples
above), but also dS/dT=0 (or small), which in the example of FIG.
3A results in:
0=-2-tan
.epsilon.(T.sub.0,.lamda..sub.0)[M180.degree.+90.degree.+.epsil-
on.(T.sub.0,.lamda..sub.0)]-tan
.beta.(T.sub.0,.lamda..sub.0)[m180.degree.+.beta.(T.sub.0,.lamda..sub.0)]
[11]
and
0=C.sub.Verdet+C.sub.QW tan
.epsilon.(T.sub.0,.lamda..sub.0)[M180.degree.+90.degree.+.epsilon.(T.sub.-
0,.lamda..sub.0)]+C.sub.HW tan
.beta.(T.sub.0,.lamda..sub.0)[m180.degree.+.beta.(T.sub.0,.lamda..sub.0)]
[12]
[0103] As a further alternative or in addition to other thermal
stabilization methods as described above, it is possible to prepare
the cross-coupling element 16 as an athermal retarder. This can be
achieved as illustrated in FIG. 7. Here, the cross coupling element
16 consists of two sections of PM fiber: a fiber section 16-1 of
length l.sub.1 with small temperature dependence (e.g. an
elliptical-core fiber) and a section of length l.sub.2 with larger
temperature dependence (e.g. a Panda fiber). The two fiber sections
16-1, 16-2 are joined with a 90.degree.-offset in the orientation
of their principal axes. As a result the birefringent phase changes
due to temperature changes add with opposite sign and tend to
cancel each other. Assuming for simplicity that the birefringence
.DELTA.n (and beat length) of both fiber sections is the same but
the temperature coefficients differ by a factor of 5, the combined
phase retardance of the two fiber sections will be independent of
temperature if the length ratio is chosen as: l.sub.1:l.sub.2=5:1.
The length l.sub.1 must be chosen as l.sub.1=(5/4) .lamda..sub.0
.phi./(2.pi..DELTA.n) in order to achieve the desired total
retardance of .phi. at reference center wavelength
.lamda..sub.0.
[0104] It should be noted that the above described methods and
components for reducing the temperature dependence of the sensor 10
can be used separately or in isolation from each other or in
combination with each other.
[0105] While only reflective sensor configurations are considered
in the above examples, the invention also applies to Sagnac-type
fiber optic current sensors, see for example reference [3] and
other types of non-reflective fiber-optic current sensors that
contain a PM fiber lead to transmit light from or to the sensing
fiber. In a Sagnac-type current sensor according to reference [3],
at least one appropriately adjusted cross-coupling element can be
included into each of the PM fiber leads of the sensor. As a result
of the application of the half-wave retarders, part of the light
travels with a polarization orthogonal to the launched polarization
direction in between the retarders. Thereby, the sensitivity of the
sensor can be controlled in a wavelength dependent manner, since
the cross-coupled light experiences a Faraday phase shift of
opposite sign.
[0106] In the detailed embodiments disclosed in this document, a
45.degree. degree angle between the axes of the PM fiber 11 and the
axes of the retarder 16 is assumed. It is preferred that the
tolerances of this angle (i.e. orientation angle .zeta.) remain
within .+-.(45.degree..+-.10.degree.) or at least within
.+-.(45.degree..+-.22.5). However, it is to be understood that an
angle different from 45.degree. can also be chosen intentionally.
In this case the retardance of cross-coupling element 16 must be
adapted accordingly in order to achieve again full compensation of
effects of source wavelength shifts on the sensor signal
sensitivity.
[0107] In the examples shown, the cross-coupling retarder 16 is
integrated between two parts of the PM fiber 11, which is in most
cases the preferred location. However, it is also possible to place
the cross-coupling retarder 16 between the phase modulator 4 and
the PM fiber 11, between the 45.degree.-splice 3 and the phase
modulator 4, or between beam splitter 54 and the PM fiber 11 or
even integrate it into the beam splitter 54. On the other hand, it
is possible to position the cross-coupling element 16 just before
the components of the sensor head, e.g. between distal end of the
PM fiber 11 and any additional retarder such as retarder 14.
[0108] Depending on the sensor embodiment, the cross-coupling
element is preferred to be in a common housing with the phase
modulator 4 or the beam splitter 54.
[0109] In another embodiment as illustrated by FIG. 8, a Faraday
rotator can be used as cross-coupling element 16. A Faraday rotator
16 comprises a magneto-optic crystal 161 and a permanent magnet 162
exerting a magnetic field on the crystal 161. A fiber-coupled
Faraday rotator 16 typically comprises in addition lenses 163 to
couple the light into and out of the PM fiber 11. The crystal 161
rotates incoming linear light polarization states by an angle
defined by the type and length of the crystal 161 and by the
magnetic field of the permanent magnet 162.
[0110] To achieve wavelength compensation, the Faraday rotator 16
can be set for example to a single-pass rotation angle of
i*90.degree.+.gamma. at the wavelength .lamda..sub.0, wherein i is
any integer including zero and .gamma. a bias rotation angle. Due
to the wavelength dependence of the magneto-optic effect in the
crystal, .gamma. is wavelength dependent, e.g.
.gamma..about..lamda..sup.-2. With .gamma..noteq.0, this Faraday
rotator 16 generates a wavelength dependent cross coupling between
the two polarizations of the PM fiber as described previously.
Accordingly, i and .gamma. can be chosen to balance all wavelength
dependent contributions to the sensor signal similar to the case of
retarder described in detail before.
[0111] The invention can also be used with sensors that work with
orthogonal linear polarizations in the sensing medium rather than
circular polarizations and that employ detection schemes according
to FIG. 3A, 3B and FIG. 5. Patent publication WO 2008/077255A1
(cited as reference [21]) discloses for example, how the detection
schemes according to FIGS. 3A, 3B with active phase modulators can
be adapted for sensing elements that work with orthogonal linear
polarizations, see also Ref. [22, 23]. Even though not explicitly
mentioned in Ref. [21], the adaptation is also valid for detection
schemes with passive phase biasing, such as described above with
reference to FIG. 5.
[0112] As mentioned above when referring to FIG. 1, aspects of the
invention include the use of a cross-coupling element 16 in an
optical voltage or electric field sensor 90. A first example of
such a sensor is shown in FIG. 9A. The general arrangement and
previously known components are described in further detail for
example in reference [21]. As in FIG. 3A, the detection system
includes a light source 1, a fiber coupler 101, a polarizer 2, a
polarizer 3, an active phase modulator 4, a detector 5 and a signal
processor 6. Two light waves with orthogonal polarization
directions are again injected in a PM fiber 11 and sent towards the
sensing element 12. For voltage measurements, the sensing element
12 of FIG. 9A includes a rod shaped electro-optic crystal 12, such
as e.g. a Bi.sub.3Ge.sub.4O.sub.12 (BGO) crystal to measure a
voltage applied over the length of the crystal 12. Instead of a
bulk electro-optic crystal a crystalline electro-optic fiber (e.g.
also of Bi.sub.3Ge.sub.4O.sub.12) [24] or an electrically poled
fiber, as described for example in reference [25], can be used, as
well.
[0113] A Faraday polarization rotator 14' rotates the two
orthogonal light waves emerging from PM fiber 11 by 45.degree.
before they enter the electro-optic crystal 12. The polarization
directions after the Faraday rotator 14' coincide with the
electro-optic axes of the crystal 12. The light is reflected at the
far end of the crystal 12 by the reflector 15. The two orthogonal
light waves experience a differential electro-optic phase shift in
the crystal 12 that is proportional to the applied voltage. The
Faraday rotator 14' rotates the returning light waves by another
45.degree. so that the total roundtrip polarization rotation
corresponds to 90.degree. like in the current sensor of FIG. 3A.
(The polarization rotation is needed so that the roundtrip group
delay of the orthogonal polarization states in PM fiber 11 is zero
and the two waves are again coherent when they interfere at the
polarizer. Moreover, the modulation concept assumes swapped
polarization states on the return path.)
[0114] The cross-coupling element 16 in the PM fiber is added again
to compensate for wavelengths shifts of the light source. Assuming
the cross-coupling element 16 is a detuned half-wave retarder, and
the detuning angle or detuning phase shift .beta.(.lamda..sub.o) is
now adjusted so that the cross-coupling element 16 balances the
wavelength dependence of the electro-optic effect. Other than the
Faraday effect (Verdet constant) the electro-optic effect varies in
proportion to the inverse of the wavelength (rather than the
inverse of the square of the wavelength). As a result the proper
value of .beta.(.lamda..sub.o) in case of the electro-optic effect
is only half the value of .beta.(.lamda..sub.o) in case of the
Faraday effect. Moreover, .beta.(.lamda..sub.o) can be chosen such
that it compensates for the wavelength dependence of Faraday
rotator 14' (and possibly further components) in addition to
compensation for the wavelength dependence of the electro-optic
effect.
[0115] A second example of a voltage sensor 90 is shown in FIG. 9B.
The sensing element 12 includes a rod shaped electro-optic
Bi.sub.3Ge.sub.4O.sub.12 (BGO) crystal 12 to measure a voltage
applied over the length of the crystal 12. Instead of a bulk
electro-optic crystal 12 an electro-optic fiber 12 may be used such
as a crystalline fiber [24] or an electrically poled fiber, as
described for example in reference [25].
[0116] A Faraday polarization rotator 14' rotates the two
orthogonal light waves emerging from PM fiber 11 by 45.degree.
before they enter the electro-optic crystal 12. The polarization
directions after the Faraday rotator 14' coincide with the
electro-optic axes of the crystal 12. The light is reflected at the
far end of the crystal 12 by means of reflector 15. The two
orthogonal light waves experience a differential electro-optic
phase shift in the crystal 12 that is proportional to the applied
voltage. The Faraday rotator 14' rotates the returning light waves
by another 45.degree. so that the total roundtrip polarization
rotation corresponds to 90.degree..
[0117] In the example of FIG. 9B a detection scheme with a
passively generated phase bias is employed, as described in detail
in reference [16] and with reference to FIG. 5 above. In such an
arrangement, the sensor 90 includes again a light source 1 which
preferentially generates non-polarized light to enter an optical
path with an optical fiber, an initial linear polarizer 55a (in
45.degree. orientation with respect to the axes of the PM fiber 11)
attached via a spacer 53 made of glass to an integrated-optic
splitter 54. The light exits the integrated-optic splitter 54 via a
PM fiber 11 with an optional cross-coupling element 16. The light
returning from the sensor head 10-1 is split and then passes a
quarter-wave retarder 56 and appropriately oriented polarizers 55b,
55c. The retarder 56 introduces a 90.degree.-phase-bias between the
returning light waves. The light is guided through two optical
fibers to the respective detectors 5-1, 5-2, which can be
photodiodes. It should be noted that the retarder 56 and spacer 53
can also be interchanged, i.e. with the spacer element in front of
the polarizers 55b and 55c such that the phase bias is introduced
prior to entering the sensor head 10-1. In the example of FIG. 9B
the initial linear polarizer 55a (in 45.degree. orientation with
respect to the axes of the PM fiber 11) the spacer 53, the
1.times.3 integrated-optic splitter 54, the quarter-wave retarder
56 and the polarizers 55b, 55c are shown as an single integrated
passive optical module, herein referred to as integrated optical
polarization splitter module 50.
[0118] It should be further noted that the compensation provided by
the cross-coupling element 16 is optional for operation of the
sensor of FIG. 9B. Hence in a variant of the example of FIG. 9B the
cross-coupling element 16 and its temperature stabilizing
environment 160 can be omitted, in particular when the light source
is itself temperature stabilized.
[0119] There is a variety of options how to install a voltage
sensor of this kind in high voltage power transmission systems. In
air-insulated substations the sensing element may be mounted in an
insulator with gas [26] or dry insulation [27]. The insulator may
be installed as a free-standing insulator or hanging from a power
line. In gas-insulated switchgear it may be installed in ways as
disclosed in [28] and [29]. Furthermore, the sensing element may be
part of a capacitive voltage divider and measure only a fraction of
the line voltage [30]. It should be noted that instead of the
integrated-optic splitter (54) with waveguides as shown in FIGS. 5,
9B, a splitter of the same functionality can be made using bulk
components, e.g. using beam splitter cubes and/or prisms.
[0120] The method of the present invention can be applied for
compensation of wavelength shift also in other sensor
configurations, for example those disclosed in Ref. [21]. In
particular, the sensing element 12 may represent an optical voltage
sensor based on the piezo-electric effect in materials such as
quartz. The quartz element(s) strain(s) a PM sensing fiber in the
presence of an applied voltage and as a result introduce(s) again a
voltage-dependent phase shift between the orthogonal polarization
states of the sensing fiber (see ref. [21] for further details).
The PM sensing fiber may also in a similar manner act as a sensor
for strains or forces of other origin.
[0121] Note that the Faraday rotator 14' of FIG. 9 has a function
different from the Faraday rotator of FIG. 8, which acts as a
cross-coupling element 16 and different from the Faraday rotator
15' of FIG. 6, which acts as a phase biasing element.
[0122] The light source may already emit light with a sufficiently
high degree of linear polarization due to inherent polarization
means or an integrated polarizer. In this case, at least parts of
the functionality of the polarizers 2, 41, 55a, 24 as shown in
FIGS. 3A, 3B, 5, and 9 can be incorporated into the light source.
This requires all fiber components between source 1 and sensor
element 12 to be polarization-maintaining.
[0123] In the following, the further aspect of the invention is
discussed in detail. For the fiber-optic current sensor
configurations similar to FIGS. 3A, 3B but not including the shown
cross-coupling element 16, the current signal is in good
approximation proportional to the expression given in equation [1],
with the two temperature dependent contributions from V(T,.lamda.)
and .epsilon.(T,.lamda.). The linear temperature dependence results
in a relative change .DELTA.S/S.sub.0 of the sensor signal (with
S.sub.0 being a central or undisturbed signal) given by equation
[13]:
.DELTA.S/S.sub.0=.DELTA.T(C.sub.Verdet+C.sub.QW[M180.degree.+90.degree.+-
.epsilon.(T.sub.0,.lamda..sub.0)]tan
[.epsilon.(T.sub.0,.lamda..sub.0)]) [13]
wherein .DELTA.T=temperature change of the cross-coupling element
16, C.sub.Verdet=temperature dependence of the Verdet constant,
C.sub.QW=temperature coefficient of the retarder, M=0, 1, 2, 3, . .
. , .epsilon.=detuning from quarter-wave retardance,
T.sub.0=reference temperature, and .lamda..sub.0=reference
wavelength. With the example parameters selected herein to be M=0,
C.sub.Verdet=0.7.times.10.sup.-4.degree. C..sup.-1 and
C.sub.QW=-2.4.times.10.sup.-4.degree. C..sup.-1, the linear term of
the temperature dependence substantially vanishes by setting
.epsilon.(T.sub.0,.lamda..sub.0)=9.5.degree..
[0124] However, a parabolic, i.e. quadratic, term remains which can
be found from the equation [13] by Taylor series expansion as
follows:
.DELTA.S/S.sub.0=0.5.DELTA.T.sup.2(tan.sup.2[.epsilon.(T.sub.0,.lamda..s-
ub.0)]+sec.sup.2[.epsilon.(T.sub.0,.lamda..sub.0)])(C.sub.QW[M180.degree.+-
90.degree.+.epsilon.(T.sub.0,.lamda..sub.0)]).sup.2 [14]
[0125] With the numerical example parameters from above, the
quadratic contribution to .DELTA.S/S.sub.0 amounts approximately to
910.sup.-8.degree. C..sup.-2, i.e. to 0.033% at 60.degree. C. above
or below the reference temperature T.sub.0. In real sensor systems
the quadratic signal contribution may exceed this value as shown in
FIG. 10, where it reaches about 0.1% at the extreme
temperatures.
[0126] This quadratic temperature dependence can be compensated for
according to the further aspect of the invention. A cross-coupling
element 16 providing a defined temperature dependent cross-coupling
is inserted into the optical circuit of a fiber-optical sensor,
such as fiber-optical current sensor 10 as shown in FIGS. 1, 3A,
3B, 5, and 6 or a fiber-optical-voltage sensor 90 as shown in FIGS.
9A and 9B. The cross-coupling element is e.g. placed between the
polarizing element 2, 41, 55a, 24a and the sensing element 12 so
that the cross-coupling is separated from the sensing element 12 by
at least a retarder 14, a Faraday rotator 14', or a section of
polarization maintaining fiber 11. The disclosed invention can be
applied to different embodiments of fiber-optic sensors, of which
some are described in more detail herein with respect to their
design and working principle. As the cross-coupling element 16 is
preferably exposed to a temperature as similar as possible to the
temperature of the sensing element 12, a configuration with element
16 being spatially close to the sensing element 12, e.g. by sharing
a common housing with the sensing element 12, is preferred. In
other less favourable embodiments the element 16 can be a part of
the opto-electronic module 10-2, as indicated in FIG. 3A.
[0127] Temperature-dependent contributions to the signal
can--depending on the sensor design--originate from the temperature
dependence of the magneto-optic effect in the sensing element 12
(given by the temperature dependence of the Verdet constant), of
the electro-optic effect of the sensing element 12, e.g. given by
the temperature dependence of the Pockels effect, of the
piezo-electric effect of a piezo-electrical material attached to
the sensing element, of the intrinsic birefringence in the sensing
element 12 such as in a spun highly-birefringent optical fiber, of
bend-induced birefringence in the sensing fiber 12, of the working
point of the sensor, e.g. in a sensor configuration where the
working point is adjusted by a Faraday rotator mirror 15' (FIG. 6),
of a fiber retarder at the entrance to the sensing fiber 14, of a
Faraday rotator 14' at the entrance of the sensing element 12
(FIGS. 9a and 9b), of mechanical stress exerted on the sensing
fiber, or of combinations thereof.
[0128] For further description, the embodiment of a fiber-optical
current sensor 10 using an optical phase modulator 4 between the
polarizing element 2 and the cross coupling element 16 as in FIG.
3A is considered in more detail. Nevertheless, the invention can be
equally applied to different embodiments of fiber-optic sensors, in
particular to embodiments with an optical splitter 54 between the
polarizing element 55 and the cross coupling element 16, with the
following mathematical expressions and quantitative values being
subject to proper modification. Furthermore, it is assumed that the
linear temperature variation due to the Verdet constant in the
sensing fiber 12 is counteracted by the temperature dependence
introduced by the fiber retarder 14 (see equation [13]), i.e. in
the numerical example above .epsilon.(T.sub.0, .lamda..sub.0) is
set to 9.5.degree.. In this case, the quadratic contribution to be
compensated by the temperature dependent cross-coupling of element
16 amounts to 9.times.10.sup.-8.degree. C..sup.-2. In this
embodiment, the cross-coupling element 16 is represented by an
optical retarder 16, preferably a fiber-based retarder 16 built
from a short section of polarization maintaining fiber, with its
principal axes aligned under an orientation angle of .zeta. with
respect to the incoming light polarization. For example, the
retarder 16 can be inserted into the polarization maintaining fiber
section 11 as depicted in FIG. 11. Preferably, all polarization
maintaining fiber sections 11 have a length so that the relative
phase delay exceeds the coherence length of the light source
utilized. With the retardation of the cross-coupling element 16
denoted by .delta., the signal can be approximately calculated to
be
S.about.V(T,.lamda.)NI/(cos
[.epsilon.(T,.lamda.)]{cos.sup.2[2.zeta.]+cos
[.delta.(T,.lamda.)]sin.sup.22.zeta.}) [15]
[0129] Note that by setting .zeta.=.+-.45.degree., this expression
coincides with the expression given in equation [3].
[0130] Accordingly, by setting the retardance
.delta.(T.sub.0,.lamda..sub.0) (i.e. half wave retardance or
generally retardance of the cross-coupling element 16) to an
integer multiple of 180.degree., the cross coupling element 16 does
not introduce a linear temperature dependence. Under the assumption
of a vanishing second order temperature dependence of the Verdet
constant, the overall second-order temperature dependence then
becomes:
.DELTA.S/S.sub.0=0.5.DELTA.T.sup.2{(tan.sup.2[.epsilon.(T.sub.0,.lamda..-
sub.0)]+sec.sup.2[.epsilon.(T.sub.0,.lamda..sub.0)])(C.sub.QW[M180.degree.-
+90.degree.+.epsilon.(T.sub.0,.lamda..sub.0)]).sup.2+(C.sub.HW.delta.(T.su-
b.0,.lamda..sub.0)).sup.2cos
[.delta.(T.sub.0,.lamda..sub.0)]sin.sup.2[2.zeta.]/(cos.sup.2[2.zeta.]+co-
s [.delta.(T.sub.0,.lamda..sub.0)]sin.sup.2[2.zeta.])} [16]
[0131] Accordingly, by setting the retardance
.delta.(T.sub.0,.lamda..sub.0) of the cross-coupling element 16 to
an odd multiple of 180.degree., the quadratic temperature-dependent
contribution from the cross-coupling element 16 to the sensor
signal counteracts the quadratic temperature-dependent contribution
from the retarder 14 to the sensor signal. Proper choice of
orientation angle(s) .zeta.--depending on the temperature variation
of retardance .delta.(T.sub.0,.lamda..sub.0)=m180.degree. (with m
being an odd integer) given by
C.sub.HW.delta.(T.sub.0,.lamda..sub.0)--results in a vanishing
quadratic temperature variation, i.e. together with the temperature
compensation by the detuned quarter-wave retarder 14, the sensor
signal becomes independent of temperature up to third order
variations in temperature. Overall, the parabolic=quadratic
coefficient introduced by the cross-coupling element 16 can be
tuned by choice of the orientation angle .zeta., the order of the
retarder m, and the quantity C.sub.HW. The quantity C.sub.HW is
given by the temperature dependence of the birefringence of the
optical fiber used for the fiber retarder 16 and can accordingly be
tuned by the choice of the proper type of linear birefringent
optical fiber. Typical choices include elliptical core fiber, panda
or bow-tie fiber, elliptical cladding fiber, and microstructured
birefringent fiber. With the numerical parameters from above and
assuming C.sub.HW=C.sub.QW, setting m=3 and orientation angles
.zeta.=5.25.degree. removes the second order temperature dependence
of the sensor. This is illustrated in FIG. 12, where the calculated
residual quadratic temperature dependence of retarder 14 and
sensing element 12 indicated by the dashed curve is counteracted by
the calculated temperature dependence of the cross-coupling element
16 indicated by the solid curve such that the combined temperature
dependence of the normalized current signal becomes independent of
temperature (dotted curve).
[0132] As seen from expression [16], other choices of retardance
.delta.(T.sub.0,.lamda..sub.0) and orientation angle .zeta. of the
cross-coupling element 16 yield a different temperature dependence
of the cross-coupling element 16 that in the general case can also
be optimized to compensate a (residual) linear temperature
dependence, e.g. of further components of the fiber-optical sensor.
In particular, in fiber-optic voltage sensors 90, an overall
temperature dependence resulting from the temperature dependence of
the electro-optical effect in the sensing element 12 and of the
Faraday rotator 14' can be compensated for.
[0133] In further embodiments of the invention, a first
cross-coupling element can be used to compensate the overall
wavelength dependence of the sensor and a second cross-coupling
element can be used to compensate a residual temperature dependence
of the sensor, in particular a quadratic temperature dependence. In
such a configuration (not shown), the second cross-coupling element
resides close to the sensing element 12, in particular in a common
housing with the sensing element 12, in order to be exposed to the
same or a similar temperature as the sensing element 12; whereas
the first-cross coupling preferably shares a common housing with
the opto-electronic module 10-2 or with at least parts of the
opto-electronic module 10-2. In configurations where parts of the
opto-electronic module 10-2 and the sensing element 12 share a
common housing, also first and second cross-coupling element can
share a common housing.
[0134] Throughout this application, tan x=sin x/cos x, and sec
x=1/cos x, with x being any variable which may also be written in
parentheses [x]; and multiplication can be denoted by dot or simply
by empty space between variables.
[0135] While there are shown and described presently preferred
embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the
invention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously
embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims. In
particular, embodiments or features relating to the sensor are also
disclosed for the method and vice versa.
REFERENCES CITED
[0136] [1] DE 4224190A1. [0137] [2]G. Frosio and R. Dandliker,
"Reciprocal reflection interferometer for a fiber-optic Faraday
effect current sensor," Applied Optics, vol. 33, pp. 6111-6116,
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LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS
[0167] [0168] light source 1 [0169] fiber coupler 101 [0170]
optical fiber polarizer 2 [0171] polarizing splitter 24 [0172]
45.degree. fiber splice 3 [0173] optical phase modulator 4 [0174]
y-type optical phase modulator, polarizer 41 [0175] 90.degree.
fiber splice 42 [0176] polarization maintaining fiber coupler 43
[0177] optical delay element 44 [0178] detector 5, 5-1, 5-2 [0179]
integrated optical polarization splitter module 50 [0180] spacer 53
[0181] splitter 54 [0182] polarizer 55a [0183] polarizer 55b [0184]
polarizer 55c [0185] quarter-wave retarder 56 [0186] signal
processor 6 [0187] fiber-optical current sensor 10 [0188] sensor
head 10-1 [0189] opto-electronic module 10-2 [0190] polarization
maintaining fiber 11 [0191] sensing element (fiber, crystal) 12
[0192] conductor 13 [0193] optical retarder 14 [0194] Faraday
polarization rotator 14' [0195] reflector 15 [0196] Faraday
polarization rotator mirror 15' [0197] cross-coupling element
(retarder, Faraday rotator) 16 [0198] fiber sections 16-1, 16-2
[0199] temperature stabilized environment 160 [0200] magneto-optic
material 161 [0201] magnet 162 [0202] lens(es) 163 [0203] optical
voltage sensor 90
* * * * *